Assam to ban packaged drinking water bottles of less than 1 litre

The Assam government has decided to ban packaged drinking water bottles of less than one litre from October 2.

From October 2024, bottles of less than two litres will also be banned in the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma said after a cabinet meeting on Friday evening.

[23/07, 12:48 pm] Ujjal Baruah: “The cabinet decided to ban the production and use of drinking water bottles made of PET of less than one litre in volume. The ban will come into effect from October 2 with a three-month transition period provided,” he said.

Polyethylene terephthalate or PET is a type of polyester that is widely used in the production of plastic bottles, films and other products. It is known for its strength, flexibility and chemical resistance.

“We will also strictly implement the ban on single-use plastic in the state as per the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021,” the chief minister said.

At the cabinet meeting, consolidated administrative approval was given for phase I of ADB-aided ‘Climate Resilient Brahmaputra Integrated Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Project’.